Bacher asked to give match-fixing evidence

Former South African cricket head Ali Bacher has been asked to present any information of alleged match-fixing by Pakistan cricketers at the 1999 World Cup to a Pakistani judicial commission.

"We have sent a letter to Dr Bacher asking him to come and share with the commission any information he has on the suspicions he has raised on the World Cup matches," said Kazim Ali Malik, the commission registrar.

The inquiry, headed by Justice Karamat Bhandari, has been ordered by the Pakistan government to investigate allegations that two matches at the 1999 World Cup in Britain involving Pakistan were fixed. Pakistan lost both matches to Bangladesh and India.

Bacher, executive director for the 2003 World Cup to be hosted by South Africa, said last year that Majid Khan, former chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, had told him of his suspicions of the results.

Four senior players, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar and Moin Khan, have told the inquiry the two matches, as well as Pakistan's losing final against Australia, were not fixed.

However, former pace bowler Sarfraz Nawaz and Majid have recorded statements saying they believed there was substance to the allegations.

"Dr Bacher naturally is a very important figure in this inquiry. The commission would like to hear him personally, but so far we have not received any answer to our letter," said Malik. "What the commission wants is to hear out Dr Bacher so that it is in a better position to reach a conclusion."

The commission has summoned Pakistani journalists, who covered the World Cup, to its next hearing on November 10.

Mail Cricket Editor